Page 82 of Under the Table

Hope lifted up on her toes, trying to hear everything.

“I really am sorry.” Neither one of them said anything else.

The main door shut loudly, and the bathroom door opened. Angelica stood on the other side, staring at Hope. Her cheeks were pale, the color completely gone, but she didn’t look angry. She looked beaten.

“Angel…”

“I’m going to say this once.” Angelica put her hand out in front of her and lifted her gaze to meet Hope’s. “I still believe that opening a marriage after infidelity is an end to a marriage.”

Hope’s heart panged with hurt. Cold rushed through her.

“I am your boss, and you have to understand that this isn’t uncomplicated. You need torespectthat.” Angelica stepped closer, her eyes locking on Hope’s. “I look at men like Julian and I see myself in them, no matter how hard I try to look the other way, because I should be better than that.”

“You are,” Hope whispered.

“No, in this way, I’m not.” Angelica reached for the tie of Hope’s apron and pulled her a step closer. Hope’s heart raced. Her lips parted. What the hell was going on? “But there’s something about you, Hope,” Angelica whispered, pulling the ties of Hope’s apron. “Something about who I am with you that makes me want to try this.”

Hope surged forward, pressing their mouths together. Angelica hummed as she reached up and massaged her fingers into the back of Hope’s neck, pulling her down and even closer than they were before. Hope pulled away slightly, closing her eyes and breathing in this sudden change.

“Angel… are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“But tonight?” Hope asked, just wanting to be certain. The hot and cold from Angelica was nearly too much. It sent her into a spiral of confusion. “After everything that happened this week?—”

“I need good touch.” Angelica skimmed her hand down the front of Hope’s chest before flittering her fingers back up to the snaps on her chef’s jacket. “Healthy touch. Pleasurable touch.”

Hope shivered. She caught Angelica’s hand and clasped it in her own. “And what about tomorrow?”

Angelica didn’t make eye contact, but her cheeks reddened. “Tomorrow is a different day.”

“Yeah,” Hope agreed. “But what about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow we figure out tomorrow.”

“But is tomorrow a possibility?” Hope curled a lock of Angelica’s hair around her finger and tugged gently. “Because I want it to be.”

Angelica raised up on her toes and kissed Hope hard. Hope nearly stumbled into her just trying to hold on and keep herself upright. Angelica pressed against her, arching her back andholding onto Hope tightly. Her mouth moved against Hope’s provocatively.

Hope broke the kiss and pressed their foreheads together. “Angel…”

“Yes, yes, there’s a possibility.” She kissed Hope again. “Right now I want to take a shower and erase everything from this day.”

“Okay.” Hope sighed, the yo-yoing nearly too much.

Angelica stepped back, sliding her blouse over her head and dropping it at her feet. “Join me?”

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Angelica stripped down in front of a stunned Hope. Her heart raced. This was her giving in, didn’t Hope see that? This was Angelica’s response to the ask that Hope had made. Was she comfortable with the situation? Absolutely not. But at the same time, she wasn’t sure she could give up what she’d found between them.

Reaching into the shower, Angelica turned the water on, tested it with her hand, and then immediately stepped in. She ducked her head under the spray, letting the hot water sluice over her body and ease the stress of the last week.

Everything was coming down around her. Or at least, it’d seemed that way for a while there. But with Hope—and she had to admit, with Rex and Josef at the end—they’d managed to find even ground again. When she popped her head out from under the water and pushed her hair back from her face, Angelica stared at Hope through the glass.

But she said nothing.